My Cat with Asperger's

We adopted Jaffa from an animal shelter. She had been repeatedly rejected, and was depressed and fearful. She was huddled in a small cage. Her fangs were chipped (a run-in with a car?) and she was dribbling. She looked older than her estimated age of 2-3 years.

I have a special bond with animals, and frequently managed to attract all the neighbourhood strays. I've never owned a pedigree. Homeless animals in shelters need a home and love too.

My son and I have Asperger's Syndrome and I will compare Jaffa's traits to Aspie traits.

More Asperger's Traits:

• Repeatedly rejected
• Fearful
• Unlikely friends
• Poor social skills
• Thrive in a secure environment
• Obsessive-Compulsive
• Lashes out unexpectedly
• Startled by loud noises
• Prefer indoors/Exercise helps
• Need help relieving anxiety

Repeatedly rejected - when we adopted Jaffa she had been surrended at least three times. No-one wanted her and she looked worse for wear after her experience. People with Asperger's know only too well the pain of being repeatedly rejected - by peers, employers, colleagues, romantic interests and don't understand why people reject them.

Fearful - Jaffa was so fearful and traumatised that she immediately hid behind a dresser and wouldn't come out. Gradually she learned to trust us, and became so bold she stood her ground against dogs. Due to sensory issues and rejection, people with Asperger's can feel overwhelmed and fearful. People are unpredictable and interacting socially cause anxiety.

Unlikely Friends - Jaffa let any dog in her household know how to treat her and earned their respect. She refused to let herself be bullied. Dogs ("neurotypicals") respected her. I didn't learn to stand up for myself against bullies until I was an adult. Sometimes my choice of friends have seemed odd to family. I value quality over quantity.

Poor social skills - Jaffa would run away when anyone new came to the house. Eventually, with a secure home, she would stay in the same room, and even sit on visitor's laps. People (and cats) with Asperger's are blind to social conventions such as excusing oneself when leaving a room. These skills can be acquired intellectually.

Thrive in secure environment - Jaffa grew from being a fearful, sickly cat to being bold, healthy, secure and happy. Asperger children will thrive in a supportive home environment, with a family that seeks to understand and accept and with a quiet place to retreat to and be themselves at home.

Obsessive-compulsive - Jaffa liked to chase her tail and one day actually caught it and punctured a hole in it, sprinkling blood all over the walls. My son likes lining up objects, particularly when anxious. One day he lined up every single toy vehicle he owned in a massive queue to a toy service station. Order and repetitive behaviours can make Aspies feel more secure. My son has a tic disorder where he licks constantly.

Lash out - one day I had my face too close to Jaffa's face and she didn't like it, so she struck me in the face with her claws, yet she was very close to me. My son lashes out with tantrums but I know he loves me and needs me. Jaffa would sometimes get grumpy and moody for seemingly no apparent reason, just like my son does. Some Aspies are easily irritated and explosive; others are calm and docile.

Startled by loud noises - Cats are easily startled by loud noises, like doors slamming and dog's barking. I am startled by noises too and find dogs barking very irritating. Even the crossed sound of the radio and TV going at the same time is distressing to me. My son used to scream uncontrollably at the sound of hand-driers.

Prefer indoors/Exercise helps - We lived in New Zealand with Jaffa, which was a more cat-friendly place than Australia. Jaffa preferred to stay indoors, but will encouragement, she learnt to explore outdoors and enjoy it. Aspies typically prefer being indoors because of their sensory issues - the outside world can be very polluted and noisy with bright sunlight.

Many aspies find learning an individual sport like martial arts helpful for body awareness and fitness. Taekwondo is great for learning co-ordination, balance, discipline, confidence and respect in an accepting environment. My son is learning Taekwondo.

Need help relieving anxiety - Living in a world that is constantly bombarding the senses and the effort required to interact socially is stressful. Jaffa liked being stroked and brushed. Likewise, my son responds to massage. Othertimes, he just needs to be left alone in a quiet place to regain control of himself. Relaxing instrumental music played quietly helps him go to sleep. I need alone time and escape to the comfort of my bed when overwhelmed.